The Battle of Khaybar: Causes, Events, and Results

By Eman Abdallah Kamel

Eman is a writer and engineer. She studied Shariah (Islamic studies) at Zad Academy (online course).

In this article, you will learn about the Battle of Khaybar, its history, causes, events, and consequences.

Introduction

The Battle of Khaybar is a significant event in Islamic history, as it witnessed a confrontation between the Muslims, led by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the Jews who had fortified themselves in the strongholds of Khaybar. Khaybar was not merely an agricultural community but had become a center for alliances hostile to the Muslims.

The word “Khaibar” in Jewish Hebrew means “fortress.” Khaybar was an oasis in Saudi Arabia’s Medina region, approximately 153 kilometers north of Al-Medina. The area was inhabited by Arab Jewish tribes until it was conquered by Muslims led by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) at the Battle of Khaybar in the seventh year of the Hijra (628 CE).

Causes

The Jews of Khaybar were plotting against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Muslims in Medina, especially after the Prophet punished the Banu Qaynuqa, Banu Nadir, and Banu Qurayza for breaking their treaties and betraying the Muslims.
The Jews of Khaybar sought revenge against the Muslims for their brethren, so they sheltered those Jews from Banu Nadir who had sought refuge with them, allied themselves with the polytheists, and formed alliances with the Arab tribes north of Medina, particularly the Ghatafan, who had failed in their attack on Medina during the Battle of the Trench.
The Jews of Khaybar and the Ghatafan tribe united to form an anti-Islamic front and prepare to attack Medina when the opportunity arose.
Thus, Khaybar became a hotbed of conspiracies against the Muslims. While the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah in 6 AH had secured the Muslims’ safety from the south (Mecca and its allies), they had to act swiftly to thwart this hostile plot in the north before it was fully implemented.
The next step for the Muslims after Hudaybiyyah was to eliminate the Jews of Khaybar and then focus on confronting the northern Arab tribes loyal to the Romans.

Events

The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, left Medina with 1,400 companions and 200 horsemen. Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, a hypocrite, informed the Jews of Khaybar of the Muslims’ departure to them. When they learned of this, they sent word to their allies, the Ghatafan, seeking their support and promising them half of Khaybar’s harvest if they were victorious over the Muslims.

The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah upon him, took the road leading to Wadi al-Raji’. This valley lies northeast of Khaybar and is strategically located between Khaybar and Ghatafan. The Prophet’s stay in it prevents any supplies that could reach the Jews of Khaybar from Ghatafan. Also, from this place, he could monitor the movements of the rest of the Jews in the north, as well as the Roman state and the Arabs loyal to it.

The Ghatafan tribe headed towards Khaybar, but when they were partway there, they heard noises and commotion behind them. They thought that the Muslims had raided their families and possessions, so they turned back. The Prophet of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his companions set out towards Khaybar, and they arrived there in the evening and spent the night in front of its fortresses.

When the Prophet of God (peace and blessings be upon him) went on a military expedition, he would not attack them until morning, and he would call them to Islam (full submission to God). If they responded to him, he would refrain from attacking; if they did not respond, he would attack.

The Muslim army assembled and stood before the fortresses of Khaybar, fully equipped and awaiting their commander’s orders. The Jews, meanwhile, gathered their wealth and families and fortified themselves within the fortresses, as did their fighters. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the cutting down of the palm trees and surrounding vegetation to prevent any obstruction of the Muslim army’s movements. The Jews then went out to fight them. The first day ended without a victory, and fighting resumed the following morning. For three days, the Jews fought from within their fortresses, fearful of open battle. Whenever they were defeated, they retreated into their fortresses and locked themselves inside.

Then, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered the companion and leader Ali ibn Abi Talib to invite them to Islam, and if they refused, to fight them, and he did so. The battle took place between the Muslims and the Jews of Khaybar, ending with the fall of all the fortresses of Khaybar into the hands of the Muslims. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, returned to Medina after spending six months in the conquest of Khaybar.

Results

Complete victory for the Muslims.
The battle ended with an agreement between the Muslims and the Jews that guaranteed Muslim control over the agricultural resources in Khaybar by sharing the crops with the Jews who remained in the region.
Strengthening Islamic power in the Arabian Peninsula.

Sources

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